News & Notes
BRIDGE VALLEY'S NEWSLETTER
December 13, 2019
Dates to Remember
The following are quick reminders for upcoming events:
- December 16th & 17th - No Kindergarten/Kindergarten Conferences
- Tuesday, December 17th - Holiday Concert, 7 pm
- Wednesday, December 18th - 1st Grade Polar Express
- Friday, December 20th - Holiday Sing-Along
- Friday, December 20th - Half Day for Students, Dismissal 11:55
- December 23rd-January 1st - No School ~ Winter Break
- Thursday, January 2nd - School Resumes
Thank you from the BVE Family
We would like to thank all of our families and volunteers who have helped to make our holiday events such a great success. We have collected toys, clothes, gift cards, and other necessities, all of which will warm the hearts and homes of many families this holiday season.
Holiday Boutique: Our LGI was transformed into a winter wonderland this week. The students enjoyed shopping for family and friends at this year's Holiday Boutique. Parent and student volunteers helped students as they selected special gifts and treasures for loved ones. We thank all of our parent and student volunteers as well as our teachers for supporting this fun holiday tradition.
This generous community never ceases to amaze us in how giving you are each year. Because of this, our Blazer Blessings, was a great success. We collected an abundance of gifts as well as monetary donations for gift cards. These donations support families right here in the Bridge Valley community. Thank you to all of our staff, students, and families who donated. You will help to make the holidays brighter for those in need. A special thank you to Mrs. Kristen Mabin, our school nurse, for an excellent job organizing and managing this wonderful event.
On behalf of the Bridge Valley faculty and staff, we wish you a happy, healthy, and safe holiday season. Enjoy the spirit of the season with your family and friends!
Holiday Concert
Come join our 5th and 6th grade Orchestra and Choir, and our 6th grade Band as we Celebrate the Holidays Through Music! Our concert will be held on Tuesday, December 17th at 7:00 PM.
Thank you to Mrs. Herrschaft, Mrs. Simpkins, and Mr. Robinson for directing these musicians. We greatly appreciate the time, effort, and talent you share with us this holiday season.
Social Emotional Wellness for the Holiday Season
For many, the month of December can be a busy time. It is hard to quantify the amount of energy and effort that goes into making the holidays magical. In spite of the joy, it is easy to become overwhelmed when we add the various parties, commitments, and obligations, to our already full schedules.
Although the focus of the celebrations tends to center around making it special for the children, kids are not immune to stress at this time of year. They may look forward to parties, presents and staying up late, but all that excitement can translate into exhaustion, depletion and stress. Here are some suggestions for keeping holiday stress manageable for kids.
Stick to routines when possible- By definition, the holidays are not routine. They are special and different than other times of the year. However, children thrive on expectations and predictable routines, so trying to adhere to some type of morning and evening ritual will help kids feel safe and rested and will keep them healthy.
Schedule downtime- With so much fun to pack into a short time, it is easy to become overscheduled. We all need moments to decompress and relax. Make sure to have some time set aside for quiet relaxation at home. Try doing an activity where each family member can participate, such as a board game, a puzzle, or watching a movie.
Manage expectations- Let your kids know the tentative plans for the week. They might need time to process what they anticipated or hoped they would be doing, or getting, with the actual family plans.
Manage your own stress- Kids are perceptive and pick up on our stress and anxiety. If we can engage in self-care by setting boundaries for ourselves, saying no to that extra activity or responsibility that would completely tap us out, and find healthy ways to decompress, we will be setting a wonderful example, and saving ourselves a lot of emotional strain.
We wish you the happiest of holidays, and we hope your enjoyment far outshines any stress. Remember to breathe deeply and celebrate wholeheartedly.
Spotlight on Support Staff
This month we introduce Mrs. Nancy Weishew. She is a personal care assistant working in Mrs. Chimel's classroom. Mrs. Weishew had worked previously at Bridge Valley for 8 years, leaving us to pursue other opportunities. We are happy to have her back this school year. She and her husband have been married for 30 years. They have two children, Nick and Ali. Nick graduated from Drexel and is employed with a local engineering company. Ali is a senior at Temple, majoring in Environmental Studies. As a family they enjoy beach vacations, concerts, and eating out. Mrs. Weishew feels the best part of her job is watching her student grow academically, socially, and emotionally. She notes that although some days can be challenging her work is very rewarding. She enjoys working with all of the dedicated professionals here at Bridge Valley. We are happy to have Mrs. Weishew back on the Bridge Valley team. We thank her for her commitment and dedication.
Safety Update & Reminders
As you know the safety of our school and our students is of utmost importance to us. We would like to remind all of our visitors that you must bring your identification into the school in order to sign in and get to where you need to go. We know this can be a time consuming step but here are a few ways to make it easier:
- Arrive early, when possible, grade level and building wide events are often well attended and this may cause a delay when checking in.
- Have your licenses or ID ready to be scanned.
- Be patient, there may be technological difficulties or increased wait time do to the volume of visitors our staff can move through the process.
When you visit BVE, our ultimate goal is to get you to your child's event. We will do all we can to make that happen in a pleasant and timely manner. We appreciate your support.
Boomerang Youth Recognition Award
The Boomerang Asset being recognized for the month of December is #29 Honesty; the young person "tells the truth even when it is not easy". If you’d like to nominate a student, please send an email to Katie Melberger at kmelberg@cbsd.org including the student’s name, grade, teacher, and why you believe this student models this asset. Please try to include two to three concrete examples that show the asset in action.
Passive Fundraisers
Please register your Giant Rewards Card for free money for our school.
Amazon Smiles
Support our school when you shop, #StartWithaSmile at smile.amazon.com/ch/11-3722272 and Amazon donates to Bridge Valley Elementary Home & School Association.
Principal, Kevin Cochran
Assistant Principal, Stacey Pedersen
Bridge Valley Elementary School
Website: http://cbsd.org/Domain/9
Location: 2280 Sugar Bottom Road, Furlong, PA, United States
Phone: 267-893-3700
Twitter: @CBBridgeValley